HISTORY AND DEFINITION

PPT : Romanticism is the artistic movement of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries which was
concerned with the expression of the individual's feelings and emotions.

Explanations: Western civilization over a period from the late 18th to the mid-19th century.
Romanticism can be seen as a rejection of the precepts of order, calm, harmony, balance, idealization,
and rationality that typified Classicism in general and late 18th-century Neoclassicism in particular. It was
also to some extent a reaction against the Enlightenment and against 18th-century rationalism and
physical materialism in general. Romanticism emphasized the individual, the subjective, the irrational,
the imaginative, the personal, the spontaneous, the emotional, the visionary, and the transcendental.

At the end of the 18th century and well into the 19th, Romanticism quickly spread throughout Europe
and the United States to challenge the rational ideal held so tightly during the Enlightenment.

The artists emphasized that sense and emotions - not simply reason and order - were equally important
means of understanding and experiencing the world. Romanticism celebrated the individual imagination
and intuition in the enduring search for individual rights and liberty. Its ideals of the creative, subjective
powers of the artist fueled avant-garde movements well into the 20th century. (EXPLANATION IN
DEFINITION)

Romanticist practitioners found their voices across all genres, including literature, music, art, and
architecture. Reacting against the sober style of Neoclassicism preferred by most countries' academies,
the far-reaching international movement valued originality, inspiration, and imagination, thus promoting
a variety of styles within the movement. Additionally, in an effort to stem the tide of increasing
industrialization, many of the Romanticists emphasized the individual's connection to nature and an
idealized past. (HISTORY)

Romanticism Definition

The term Romanticism does not stem directly from the concept of love, but rather from the French word
romaunt (a romantic story told in verse). Romanticism focused on emotions and the inner life of the
writer, and often used autobiographical material to inform the work or even provide a template for it,
unlike traditional literature at the time.

Romanticism celebrated the primitive and elevated "regular people" as being deserving of celebration,
which was an innovation at the time. Romanticism also fixated on nature as a primordial force and
encouraged the concept of isolation as necessary for spiritual and artistic development.

Romanticism emphasized emotion, individualism, imagination, and a deep connection with nature. It
rejected the constraints of classical forms and traditions, instead valuing the expression of intense
feelings and emotions. Romantic artists often sought to evoke powerful emotions, explore the depths of
human experience, and celebrate the beauty and awe of the natural world.

In literature, Romantic writers focused on the inner lives of characters, their struggles, passions, and the
exploration of the human psyche. They often depicted nature as a source of inspiration, emphasizing its
sublime and mysterious qualities.

In art, Romanticism led to a shift in styles, with paintings depicting dramatic landscapes, exotic settings,
and emotionally charged scenes. Artists aimed to evoke a sense of wonder, awe, and nostalgia through
their works.

Musically, composers like Beethoven, Chopin, and Schubert embraced Romantic ideals by infusing their
compositions with heightened emotional expression, unconventional structures, and a focus on
individuality and originality.

Overall, Romanticism celebrated individuality, passion, and the power of the human spirit, leaving a
lasting impact on various artistic and intellectual pursuits across the world.

The Enlightenment was an intellectual movement in the eighteenth century that emphasized reason and
science.

The Enlightenment, also known as the Age of Reason, was an intellectual and cultural movement in the
eighteenth century that emphasized reason over superstition and science over blind faith

mong the characteristic attitudes of Romanticism were the following:

a deepened appreciation of the beauties of nature; \

a general exaltation of emotion over reason and of the senses over intellect;

a turning in upon the self and a heightened examination of human personality and its moods and mental
potentialities;

a focus on individualism,

an emphasis on nature,

emotion over reason,

freedom of form,

and an exploration of the Gothic and unknown.

Characteristics of Romanticism in Art

Celebration of nature: Romantic art—whether in paintings, sculpture, novels, or music—tends to

Embrace of landscape painting: The classical era emphasized portraiture and human forms, but the
Romantic era saw a return of landscape art.

Heroism and drama: When humans are depicted in Romantic art, they often appear in the throes of
adventure. From the early Romantic Shipwreck by Claude-Joseph Vernet to The Massacre at Chios by
Eugène Delacroix, drama often reigns supreme in these works.

Humanity on display: As the Romantic philosopher and critic August Wilhelm Schlegel posited in his
Lectures on Dramatic Arts and Letters, the very essence of human nature is its profound dichotomy. This
dichotomy is reflected in both the portraiture and the landscapes of the era.

Nationalist subjects: Many Romantic artists incorporated their national identity into their work, including
the Spaniard Francisco Goya, the French Anne-Louis Girodet de Roussy-Trioson, and the American
Thomas Cole exemplify this nationalist choice of subject.

5 ARTIST:

Francisco Goya, William Blake, John Constable, J.M.W Turner, and Eugène Delacroix.

Our chosen best artist during this period is Eugène Delacroix.

(The greatest French Romantic painter was Eugène Delacroix)

PPT: Eugène Delacroix (born April 26, 1798, Charenton–Saint-Maurice, France—died August 13, 1863,
Paris)

One of the most famous paintings in the world, Liberty Leading the People, expresses the ideals of
freedom and democracy. Painted by Ferdinand Victor Eugène Delacroix in 1830. The work is a
commemoration of the rebellion against the French King Charles X known as the July Revolution. This
lesson on the Liberty painting will examine the historical, allegorical, and contextual analysis of this
masterpiece.

Known in his adult years as the leader of the French Romanticism movement, he began his studies at the
Lycée Imperial in Paris where he was instructed in the classics. Delacroix would travel to the Louvre, a
famous museum in Paris, to paint copies of classical and expressive art in order to learn painting
techniques and styles. He experimented with watercolor and found influence in classic authors such as
Shakespeare and Lord Byron. Though Delacroix was an astute student of the classics, he gained
inspiration from current world events and recent historical occurrences that were relevant in his era and
sought to evolve his art beyond traditional classical ideals.

The flaw in the Enlightenment mind, represented by the moral philosophy of Kant with its overemphasis
on intellect (reason) and will, was its disregard of the faculty of emotion which is so central to human
life. Romanticism was the inevitable reaction to Enlightenment Rationalism. The artistic and literary
works of the Romantic movement have lasting appeal, because the human faculty of emotion runs
stronger and deeper than the intellect or the will.

https://www.thoughtco.com/romanticism-definition-4777449

https://www.theartstory.org/movement/romanticism/

https://www.britannica.com/art/Romanticism

https://www.artst.org/famous-romanticism-artists/